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1 In this question you are asked to read about:

• an existing manual, paper-based ordering system in a furniture retailer,

• the computer-based semi-automatic ordering system that is intended to be introduced as a
replacement.

You are given a description of both the existing and the intended new computerised scheme.

Description of the existing system

When a customer comes to the retailer and chooses from the showroom an item of furniture to purchase,
the salesman asks the filing clerk to go to the filing cabinet where she would be able to locate the
appropriate files containing all the necessary item details. The information stored on these paper files
includes:

• item code
• description of item
• price of item
• delivery time
• details of the supplier

All transactions are currently carried out on paper and stored in files in a large filing cabinet.

The salesman then completes the paper order form for the customer. The customer pays for the item and
the salesman gives one copy of the order to the customer, a second copy is given to the filing clerk. At
the end of the day, the clerk processes all the orders, records the money taken and calculates the total
number of each item to order. The clerk fills out and sends off paper order forms to the suppliers for
all items ordered that day.

Description of the proposed computer-based system

The intention is to replace all the paperwork by introducing a computer-based database which contains
the information described above, and automatically prints out the orders at the end of the day.

A systems analyst is to be employed to review the existing manual system. The analyst will be responsible
for drawing up an action plan for the new computer-based system. This will then be designed, tested
and implemented. All the necessary documentation will also be produced together with a full
evaluation of the system performance 6 months after its introduction.

In the new system, when a customer has chosen an item of furniture to purchase, the salesman pulls up
the following information on a computer screen:

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FURNITURE ORDERING v3.2

Please select from the following options:

• Beds
• Chairs
• Sofas
• Tables
• Wardrobes

Once an option is chosen

• a selection of items is listed on the screen, (There is also a picture of each one)
• the customer identifies the item they want,
• the item of furniture is identified with a barcode (which is the same as the item code),
• the salesman selects the picture using a touch screen,
• all the information about the selected item of furniture is displayed on the screen,
• the salesman completes an order form on screen for the customer,
• the order details are stored,
• he prints out a copy to give to the customer,
• the number to order that day is updated on the database, • the value of the daily takings is
also automatically updated.

At the end of the day

• orders are automatically printed out for each supplier together with the name and address of that
supplier,
• the number to order is reset to zero.

When items arrive

• the barcodes are read and the database automatically updated.

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(d) Draw a flowchart to show how the new computer-based system will work.

Include:

• what happens when a customer places an order,

• how an item of furniture is identified,
• how the orders for suppliers are produced,
• how a check is made on the daily money taken.

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